Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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204. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if his Department, or a body under its aegis, has considered any proposals for improving pricing transparency in the domestic waste collection sector; and his views on whether the opacity of pricing in the sector has a negative impact on the competition between providers and cost of waste collection for households. [36501/16]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The charges applied by waste management companies are a matter between those companies and their customers, subject to compliance with all applicable environmental and other relevant legislation, including contract and consumer legislation.

A mandatory pay-by-weight charging structure for household waste collection was due to be introduced in mid-2016. However, on 30 June 2016, regulations were signed to remove the requirement for a mandatory pay-by-weight charging structure. Notwithstanding the above, as previously stated, a review of the pricing structures that households are charged for the collection of waste, with a focus on encouraging households to prevent, separate and recycle waste and to reduce residual waste going to landfills, is due to be completed by July next year. The issue raised by the Deputy will be considered as part of the wider review of the operation and potential introduction of pay by weight.